Chi Chi Rodriguez Youth Foundation

What Chi Chi Rodriguez Youth Foundation does

The Chi Chi Rodriguez Youth Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1979 and headquartered in Clearwater, Florida. It operates a public golf course, a driving range outfitted with a Power Tee automated teeing system, an on-site pro shop, a snack bar, and equipment rentals, generating revenue through greens fees, range ball sales, golf instruction (private, semi-private, and group), and a Champions Club membership card priced at $30 annually. The foundation also runs an online storefront for merchandise and equipment. In parallel with these commercial operations, the foundation hosts an academy that is part of the Pinellas County Public School system and serves at-risk youth, partnering with First Tee – Clearwater to deliver character-education and life-skills programming through golf. The organization holds the GuideStar Platinum Seal of Transparency and a Charity Navigator Four-Star rating, and has been recognized as a Top 50 Stand Alone Range four times, most recently in 2022. It operates with a headcount of 11–50 employees under CEO James Poulter.

Name

Chi Chi Rodriguez Youth Foundation

Legal name

Chi Chi Rodriguez Youth Foundation, Inc.

Website

https://chichi.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Chi Chi Rodriguez Youth Foundation is a Clearwater, Florida-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating a public golf course, driving range, and pro shop, while running a Pinellas County Public Schools academy that uses golf and First Tee programming to serve at-risk youth.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Recreational Golf & Youth Development Services

NAICS

Golf Courses and Country Clubs (71391), Golf Courses and Country Clubs (713910), Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162), Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Golf Courses & Golf Facilities (MPAKAEAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth & Scholastic Sports Organizations (K–12, AAU, Club Leagues) (MPAKACAF), Golf Apparel Retail (Men’s/Women’s/Youth) (CRAMAGAD), Outdoor Education & Adventure Programs (School-Run) (EDAJAJAJ)

Keywords

• Youth development programs
• Public golf course
• Driving range facilities
• Golf instruction services
• Nonprofit charitable foundation

Headquarters

HQ city

Clearwater

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Golf Greens Fees: Public golf course fees charged by time of day, day of week, and season. Greens fees include cart fee (based on two golfers per cart). Walking rates also available. Juniors (6–15 years) play at reduced rates. A portion of every golf fee benefits the Chi Chi Rodriguez Academy and First Tee – Clearwater.
2. Driving Range Revenue: Range balls sold by bucket size (Small, Medium, Large). Purchase of any bucket includes access to the range, chipping area, and putting green. Purchase of any bucket benefits the Chi Chi Rodriguez Academy and First Tee – Clearwater.
3. Golf Instruction: Private and semi-private lessons for adults and juniors taught by PGA and LPGA instructors. Lesson types include 30-minute, 45-minute, and 60-minute private lessons, playing lessons, and custom clinics. A portion of all lesson fees goes to the Chi Chi Rodriguez Youth Foundation.
4. Pro Shop Sales: The Pro Shop carries golf apparel, shoes, headwear, balls, and accessories. Brands include Titleist, TaylorMade, Puka, FootJoy, Antigua, Bermuda Sands, Mizuno, Ping, and Callaway. Pre-owned clubs available. An online store sells Chi Chi apparel.
5. Club Rentals: Right- and left-handed club rentals available for men and women. Rentals include clubs only. The driving range also offers free loaner clubs.
6. Chi Chi Champions Club Card: Six-month value card offering savings on regular greens fees and $2 off a bucket of balls, exclusively for cardholders.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Chi Chi Rodriguez Youth Foundation operates an 18-hole, par 62 executive-length public golf course, a driving range with over 60 grass hitting stations, PGA professional instruction, and an on-site public school (Chi Chi Rodriguez Academy). A portion of all proceeds from golf, range, and food and beverage activities fund youth program services for at-risk youth in Pinellas County, Florida.

Product overview

Chi Chi Rodriguez Youth Foundation operates as a unified golf and youth development complex in Clearwater, FL, combining a public golf course, driving range, and academy into a single integrated offering. The core portfolio includes the Chi Chi Rodriguez Golf Course (an 18-hole par-69 Denis Griffiths-designed course), the Chi Chi Rodriguez Driving Range (49-bay lit facility with PowerTee automated teeing), and the Chi Chi Rodriguez Academy (a Pinellas County public school providing nontraditional students with academic and vocational education). The Foundation offers golf instruction through PGA and LPGA-certified instructors, operates a Pro Shop with equipment and apparel, and runs a Youth Foundation focused on at-risk youth development through golf and mentorship. The organization partners with First Tee - Clearwater to deliver additional youth programming. A portion of all fees from golf, driving range, and instruction services funds the Academy and First Tee programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• The Chi Chi Rodriguez Driving Range has been named a Top 50 Stand Alone Range by the Golf Range Association of America four times since 2012 (2012, 2015, 2020, 2022).
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• First Tee – ClearwatercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChi Chi Rodriguez is proud to partner with First Tee, a national youth development organization that teaches golf along with life lessons and leadership skills. First Tee – Clearwater operates at the Chi Chi Rodriguez facility and is promoted on the foundation's website as a key program for kids and teens. A portion of golf fees benefits First Tee – Clearwater where students grow in character, life skills, and academics. The partnership also includes a dedicated page linking to firstteeclearwater.org.
• Power TeecoreTechnology or IntegrationPower Tee is the world's premier automated teeing system, installed in 22 of the 49 bays at the Chi Chi Rodriguez Driving Range. Power Tee's offices are in Jacksonville, FL, and Swindon, U.K., and the system is currently being used in ranges across 18 countries, teeing up more than 6 million balls each day. There is no extra charge to use Power Tee at the Chi Chi Rodriguez facility.
• PGA and LPGA InstructorscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Chi Chi Rodriguez Academy and Golf Club partners with PGA and LPGA golf instructors (John Hayes, Mike Monte, Bryan Lisak, Kim Nastri, Casey Steed, Mike West) to provide professional golf instruction at the Sports Complex. These professionals teach golfers of all skill levels, from beginners to advanced players.
• Pinellas County Public SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Chi Chi Rodriguez Golf Club is the home of the Chi Chi Rodriguez Academy, a Pinellas County Public School. As a public school campus, the facility operates under specific regulations (no alcohol on campus) and serves nontraditional students with hands-on learning. This is a core public-private partnership that defines the organization's youth development mission.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Troon Golf: World's largest golf-management company managing 900+ courses. Comparable as a third-party operator of daily-fee and private golf facilities with instruction and F&B programs; differs in scale and for-profit corporate structure.
• Topgolf: Leading tech-enabled driving-range and entertainment-golf chain. Comparable as a large-scale lit driving-range operator with Power-Tee-style automation and F&B, but at much larger venue sizes and broader geographic footprint.
• Drive Shack: Public owner-operator of golf-entertainment venues (formerly National Golf Links). Overlaps as a multi-site golf-leisure operator, though positioned at a more upscale, larger-scale end of the market.
• Billy Casper Golf (Cascata/Concert Golf Partners): Golf-course owner-operator with a portfolio of daily-fee and resort courses; comparable as a multi-course operator with course-management services, less specialized in youth/academy programming.

Others

• Folds of Honor Foundation: Military-family scholarship nonprofit that runs golf tournaments and charity partnerships at courses nationwide. Comparable as a golf-tied nonprofit that converts course revenues into programmatic impact, with similar Charity-credential positioning.
• TGR Foundation (Tiger Woods): Golfer-named foundation focused on youth STEM/college-access programming with TGR Learning Lab model. Comparable as a celebrity-athlete legacy nonprofit using sport's brand pull for youth outcomes.

Emerging players

• GolfTEC: National golf-instruction chain using swing-analysis technology; comparable as a structured, coach-driven golf-instruction operator serving adults. Focused on tech-enabled lessons rather than facility/club operations.
• PGA of America (PGA Jr. League / PGA Reach): National organization backing junior golf leagues and community programs. Comparable in mission (growing youth participation), instruction-oriented, and a likely ecosystem partner for Chi Chi's PGA-certified instructor roster.

Direct peers

• First Tee (national HQ): National youth development organization that teaches golf along with life skills; Chi Chi Rodriguez is a chapter host (First Tee – Clearwater). Directly comparable mission, target demographic, and program model.

Regional players

• City of Clearwater / Pinellas County Municipal Golf Operations: Local public/municipal golf operations in the same Clearwater–Pinellas market. Directly comparable on pricing, customer base, and tee-time booking dynamics; differs in public/municipal ownership and absence of youth-academy tie-in.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ChiChiAcademy
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCdVkLRtMTWkcebV2yAIoFNw
• Facebookfacebook.com/chichiyouthfoundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/chichirodriguezgolf
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ccryf

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Chi Chi Rodriguez Youth Foundation